S 203
PRIORITY
CYPHER CAT/A
FM HONG KONG 040645Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 50
ASEP 1975
AKKI6/1
(264)
TO PRIORITY F C O TELEGRAM NO 875 OF 4 SEPTEMBER.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO 674: DEFENCE COSTS.
F (263)
R.
GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD PASS THE FOLLOWING PERSONAL MESSAGE
TO MR RODGERS, BEGINS:
MANY THANKS FOR YOUR TELEGRAM NO 674. THE DATES YOU PROPOSE
ARE NOT GOOD FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, BECAUSE:
(A) THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL'S NEW SESSION OPENS ON 1 OCTOBER
WITH A GENERAL OUTLINE OF GOVERNMENT POLICY BY MYSELF. THIS IS FOLLOWED ON 22/23 OCTOBER BY A SERIES OF MAJOR SPEECHES IN REPLY BY UNOFFICIALS WHICH THEY SPEND THE INTERVENING PERIOD WRITING OR DISCUSSING AMONGST THEMSELVES. THESE ARE THE MAJOR PUBLIC POLICY SPEECHES OF THE YEAR. CONSEQUENTLY TO HOLD THESE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THESE TWO DATES IS FIRSTLY VERY INCONVENIENT FOR UNOFFICIALS, SECONDLY WILL INVITE MAXIMUM PUBLIC REACTION BY THEM.
B THE ESNIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF EX CO, SIR Y.K. KAN WILL BE AWAY UNTIL MID-OCTOBER. HIS INFLUENCE COULD BE DECISIVE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, AND I THINK IN THIS INSTANCE HE WOULD BE HELPFUL. BUT THIS WOULD BE LESS LIKELY IF HE CAME BACK SPECIALLY FOR A MEETING AT THE TIME YOU PROPOSE.
(C) SIR MICHAEL PALLISER WILL BE VISITING HONG KONG FROM 7 9
OCTOBER AND I HAD HOPED TO BE ABLE TO GIVE HIM MOST OF MY TIME AND TO INTRODUCE HIM TO UNOFFICIALS, SINCE THIS IS HIS FIRST VISIT TO HONG KONG, OR INDEED THE FAR EAST.
CONFIDENTIAL
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B
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